Improved rolling-mill for rolling grooved metal arches



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Letters Patent No. 99,329, dated February 1, 1870.

IMPROVE!) ROLLING-MILL POR ROLLING GROOVD :METAL ARCHES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may' concern Be it known that I, W. S. LEVAKE, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Mill for Rolling Grooved Arched 4Iron and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of .the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure I is a perspective view.

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Figure 3 is a vertical section. 4

Like letters of reference refer to like parts iu the views.

The natureof this invention relates to the construction of a rolling-mill for rolling grooved iron arches, to be used in the construction of tubular arches for bridges and other purposes.

In the-.accompanying drawing- A represent-s a bed-plate, upon which rest the frames l g, in which are placed the journals for the rollers The rollers C C are made, as will be seen in fig. 3, slightly tapering, the upper one h eing made smaller from the right end toward the middle, leaving a shoulder. Near this shoulder, and sufficiently distant from it, t-he roller is provided'with a bead, c, extending around Thelower roller is made larger from the right end, and about the same distance from the end as in the upper roller, and has a groove' around it, corresponding to and in which the bead c extends. The shoulder forms a guide, against which the plate, in being rolled, rests, the distance from the shoulder and the bead determining the width of flange.

In the top of the frames B B are placed the setscrews d d, by which the rollcls may be adjusted in relation to each other.

A circular plate, t i is secured to the frames, having a graduated scale marked upon them, and perforated with a series ot' holes, in which pins, k k, may be placed, against which cranks, U, attached to the screws, willrest. This scale enables the operator to determine the exact pressure. f

On the frame B is a cross-piece, b,in whichis placed a set-screw, b', the object of which will be shown.

4To the frames B B is `secured a circular bed-plate, E, having a curved groove, c, in it, corresponding to the groove in the roller C, in which the rolled plate passes as it comes through the rollers.

On the bed-plate E is fixed afi-ame, f,having small beaded rollers, h h, between them, for holding the iron plate down in shape as it passes along in the groove, and prevents it curling up or becoming twisted.

Bars, n "n, are secured to the frames B B, between which a block, o, is placed, to form a guide for the plate in entering the roller. e

Opposite the block o is placed an adjustable block, o', it having a spring, p, which allows it to yield in case there should be any slight inequalities in the width of plate being rolled.

I ower is applied-for operating the mill in any suitable manner.

The operation of this machine is as follows A plate ot' iron, of the required size, is taken from the furnace and placed between the guides O O', which is carried throughbetween the rollers C C, and is formed into a grooved' arch-plate, and passes along into the grooved bed E.' From thence it can be passed into a bed having a groove to receive it, until it hecomes cool.

It will be observed that the space between the bead and groove in the rollers C O is not equal, but is a little narrower toward the shoulder against which the plate bears. By this the plate will be rolledja little thinner, slightly stretching the vmetal on thatside, and causing it to pass along in a curved line, forming the plate into an arch, having a groove bent in it, with flanges on each side.

'Ihe object ofthe set-screw b is to hold the upper roller iirmly in place, and prevent it from changing, and altering the space. Ihe tendency would be, it'it were not for the set-screw, to equalize the space, and thus defeat the object.

If the rollers are not pressing hard enough t-o make the plate curve to the required degree, the set-screw d' may be turned down a degree, making the rollers` press harder upon the side, which will cause the plate to be more curved.

In making the tubular arches with these grooved rolled plates, a central plate is used, being arched like them, but not grooved. 'Ihese plates may be rolled in a similar manner, using rollers without the bead and groove.

What I claim as myimprovement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Ihe combination and arrangement of the tapering rollers C C, guides O O', circular bed E, with the small rollers -h h, the set-screws l), adjusting-screws l d', and graduated plates i i, t-he whole being constructed, arranged, aud operating as and for the purpose set lorth.

Witnesses: W. S. LEVAKE.

Guo. W. TIBBITTS, GEO. Hns'TER. 

